Yang Feng

Biodata

Background / History

Transmigration and Slavery

Yang Feng awakens bound among slaves in the late Eastern Han after Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei sell him to Yuan Shu. His predecessor had accompanied the three brothers during the Yellow Turban Rebellion and the campaign against Dong Zhuo. Yuan Shu selects him for his appearance and bearing, assigning him to attend to his brush and ink 1 9.

Knowing Yuan Shu’s historical fate, Yang Feng plans to endure the winter, escape in spring, and seek employment under Cao Cao. He hopes his knowledge of later history will secure a comfortable career rather than an independent struggle for the throne 1.

Identification by the Heavenly Screen

The Heavenly Screen initially allows Yuan Shu to believe that he is the promised emperor for the ages. Yang Feng encourages that belief through extravagant flattery, but intervenes when revelations of Yuan Shu’s downfall provoke orders for arrests and executions. He persuades Yuan Shu to treat the prophecy as an opportunity to change his fate rather than destroy his own faction 3 6.

When the screen identifies Yang Feng himself as the future emperor, he immediately denies the claim to avoid being killed. Yan Xiang supports his denial while considering him a possible replacement for Yuan Shu. The screen then exposes Yang Feng’s private escape plans, convincing him that its knowledge cannot simply be dismissed 8 9.

Yan Xiang offers him shelter after the broadcast ends. Yang Feng recognizes this as a pledge of protection and allegiance, gaining his first influential supporter within Yuan Shu’s court 12 13.

Accession in Shouchun

Yan Xiang and Ji Ling bring Yang Feng to Yuan Shu’s audience hall, place him on the dragon throne, and urge him to become emperor. Yang Feng refuses, fearing both a puppet position and attack by neighboring warlords. After Yuan Shu’s execution, he accepts leadership but argues against an immediate imperial proclamation 15 16 17.

His proposed alternative is to send Yuan Shu’s head and a memorial to Xu Capital, presenting the takeover as the punishment of a usurper by loyal Han subjects. He assigns Yan Xiang to draft the memorial and Ji Ling to strengthen Shouchun’s defenses 17.

The following morning, his supporters overturn that cautious approach. At Shouchun’s gate tower, Yan Xiang publicly credits him with slaying Yuan Shu while soldiers and townspeople call for his accession. Believing further refusal could alienate his supporters or provoke another mutiny, Yang Feng proclaims the Great Yang Empire and promises good government and peace 19.

Expansion and New Allegiances

Yang Feng judges Huainan too exposed to defend indefinitely and considers moving west to Yizhou if the screen demonstrates that he can survive opposition from Cao Cao and Lü Bu. Before he carries out that plan, Fa Zheng and Li Yan kill Liu Zhang and offer Yizhou to his empire. Rather than celebrating, Yang Feng fears that the annexation will unite the Han court and rival warlords against him 34 36.

The screen’s subsequent cannon demonstration strengthens his supporters’ faith and helps persuade Chen Gong that Lü Bu should submit. Lü Bu arrives at Shouchun and offers allegiance, also asking to become Yang Feng’s adoptive son. Yang Feng welcomes his service but firmly declines the adoption 43 47 50.

Heavenly Screen Revelations

• The broadcasts depict a future or alternate course of events, not an uninterrupted record of Yang Feng’s present actions. Most notably, the screen shows his empire being founded in Chengdu, whereas his actual accession occurs earlier in Shouchun 19 30 31.

Appearance

• Height: Over six feet tall 1.
• Features: Young-looking and handsome, with an imposing, distinguished bearing inherited from his predecessor 1.
• Initial impression: Stands out sharply among the sallow, emaciated slaves offered to Yuan Shu 1.
• Imperial attire: At his public accession, he is dressed in a robe embroidered with nine-clawed golden dragons and a crown decorated with pearls and jade 19.

Personality

Yang Feng prioritizes survival, comfort, and independence over imperial ambition. His preferred future involves earning money through literary borrowing or small inventions, buying a large residence, and retiring with wives and concubines. He regards the throne as a dangerous burden rather than the fulfillment of his wishes 9 15 19.

He conceals irreverent, frequently profane thoughts beneath respectful behavior. His outward flattery of Yuan Shu contrasts with his private contempt, while his ministers repeatedly interpret his uncertainty or reluctance as evidence of profound foresight 1 3 23 45.

His caution does not erase his loyalty to those who support him. Although he welcomes the possibility of surrendering to Cao Cao, he angrily rejects the screen’s revelation that surrender would require the deaths of Yan Xiang, Ji Ling, Fa Zheng, and Li Yan. He considers abandoning those who backed him unacceptable 42 43.

Abilities & Skills

Historical Knowledge

Yang Feng’s knowledge comes from his former life rather than a demonstrated supernatural ability 1 45.

• Recognizes Yuan Shu’s precarious position and initially identifies Cao Cao as a promising patron 1.
• Predicts Cao Cao’s victory over Yuan Shao in the screen’s Yizhou Plan 28.
• Recognizes similarities between that plan and Zhuge Liang’s Longzhong Plan 28.
• Privately describes supposedly extraordinary predictions as material recalled from school history books 45.

Persuasion and Political Judgment

• Uses exaggerated praise to gain Yuan Shu’s approval and rewards 3.
• Calms Yuan Shu by reframing his predicted downfall as Heaven’s advance warning 6.
• Identifies the danger of proclaiming himself emperor while Cao Cao controls the Han emperor and can invoke Han legitimacy against him 17.
• Recognizes Huainan’s exposed position and proposes Yizhou as a more defensible base 34.

Literary Borrowing

• Plans to earn a living by reproducing celebrated literature from later generations 9 19.
• The screen attributes poems including “Qingping Tune” to him and presents their circulation as instrumental in gaining the support of Fa Zheng’s and Li Yan’s families 25.
• His projected literary reputation should be distinguished from wholly original composition: Yang Feng himself describes his intended livelihood as literary plagiarism 9.

Technical Knowledge

• Considers making inventions and specifically mentions glass and cement as alternatives to imperial politics; their production is not shown in the supplied events 15 34.
• The screen credits him with researching the Heaven and Earth Cannon, but the watching Yang Feng is astonished by its existence and destructive power 43.

Equipment / Items

• Imperial robe and dragon crown — Placed on him during the public accession ceremony at Shouchun 19.
• Yellow blanket — Used as a makeshift dragon robe during the first attempt to enthrone him; a similar blanket appears in the screen’s Chengdu accession 15 30.
• Heaven and Earth Cannon — A weapon credited to him in the projected future. Its demonstrated shot destroys a nearby hill and routs Cao Cao’s army through terror; his possession of an operational cannon in the present timeline is not established 43.

Relationships

• Yan Xiang — His first major protector and principal civil supporter. Shelters him, helps force his accession, and repeatedly treats the screen’s revelations as proof of his mandate 12 13 19 30.
• Ji Ling — Principal military supporter, responsible for Shouchun’s defenses and instrumental in securing the army’s backing for his rule 15 17 19.
• Yuan Shu — Former owner and master. Initially favors Yang Feng, then sees him as a threat after the screen names him emperor. His execution clears the way for Yang Feng’s takeover, although Yang Feng is surprised when publicly credited with killing him 1 8 19.
• Cao Cao — Initially Yang Feng’s preferred future employer; later a rival whose projected invasion threatens both Yang Feng and his ministers 1 17 43.
• Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei — Former masters who sold him to Yuan Shu. They recognize him in the broadcast but doubt his suitability to rule; Liu Bei later resents his imperial claim 8 9 32.
• Fa Zheng and Li Yan — Kill Liu Zhang and submit Yizhou to his empire. Their initial allegiance is a gamble: they discuss surrendering to Cao Cao if Yang Feng loses, before the cannon revelation renews their confidence 36 39 45.
• Liu Zhang — Rival ruler of Yizhou and Yang Feng’s would-be poisoner in the projected future. In the present, his own subordinates kill him before Yang Feng arrives 22 35 36.
• Lü Bu — Initially intends to challenge him, then offers allegiance. Yang Feng remains wary of his history of betrayal and rejects his request for an adoptive-father relationship 32 47 50.
• Chen Gong — Persuades Lü Bu to join Yang Feng, judging his emerging power a means of survival 47 50.
• Zhuge Liang — Decides to leave Wolong Ridge and seek service under him; a completed meeting is not shown 38.
• Fa Zheng’s and Li Yan’s daughters — Prospective wives and literary admirers in the screen’s account; no corresponding marriages are established in the present timeline 25.

Notable Quotes

“What virtue or ability do I, Yang Feng, possess? I am merely a commoner. How could I dare usurp the throne?” 15

“Today, I ascend the throne! I shall devote myself to good governance, sweep clean the six directions, restore a bright and clear world beneath heaven, and give all people a flourishing age of peace!” 19

Wanting to surrender and become a salted fish was my own business. But these people, whether sincerely or not, had all stepped forward to back me up. I’d run off and screw them all over? 43